[LP CYOA] Epic

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

C. I came here prepared for a fight, and it would be a shame if I returned home without engaging in one - after all, I did design the suit to fight superhumans. If I manage to trace her lines, I will inflict a wound that her regeneration cannot fix. She does not know what I am capable of – I can take her by surprise right here and now. After all, there’s a glass jar in my study just begging for a living head to inhabit it…

treave, you *sniff*, you put that one in there just for me didn't you? :D
C

Seriously, bros: Let's not make the same mistake we did with Sek. Besides, we are the Knights of Pandora's Jar, remember?

 

[ScubaV]

Great update! So the emperor of Mushuszu Empire is Marduk, Zeus or Ares.

The suit isn't ready yet so if combat is avoidable we should do so. I see no harm in participating in her games. This way we gain valuable intel about her and the League, which we can later use if we run into similar situation as with the trio.

A.

Actually I'm wondering if this Emperor is Dio. I'll vote B.

 

[aleam iacis]

I would go nanomachines, probably. Not for the more immortal powers directly as much as for knowing about this unknown, probable source of vulnerability inside us.

C or if that's way behind then A. She could be useful to us in either capacity. Senya is ruthless and angry enough for C, I just am not sure he is badass enough.

C might just be an auto-reload, but maybe not. We have our suit's speed and our super attack ability. And we could use her head in a jar for an information source. Maybe we could experiment with her nano-machines and make a breakthrough for our own? Or maybe we could reprogram her nanomachines and make her into an autonomous multi-purpose unit for Yua?

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Great update! So the emperor of Mushuszu Empire is Marduk, Zeus or Ares.

The suit isn't ready yet so if combat is avoidable we should do so. I see no harm in participating in her games. This way we gain valuable intel about her and the League, which we can later use if we run into similar situation as with the trio.

A.

Actually I'm wondering if this Emperor is Dio. I'll vote B.

Nah. This guy wants to devour Earth. Dio can't devour without the Sek sword. It's probably Marduk. Mega-Marduk that is.

Now is probably the only chance we'll have of getting the drop on her. She's arrogant and doesn't take us at all seriously. Later she may develop some caution once she sees our powers in action.

 

[Jester]

...... i assume that Marduk become God Emperor, that complicate things. I dont like C looks like she gonna run away because of rolling in alpha suit and D tearing reality is nice and trendy still usually end badly for person doing that. hmmm A or B.
Vote A

mby we will get some lore and reading witty remarks could be amusing.
Hmm i wonder if they got any masters there (or its just Terra bad habit to have multiple master importation devices), that's something that probably even foot soldier would know.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Alright, bros. Just one last attempt to sway you:

So nanomachines are the secret behind immortal powers, right? How are we going to unlock those powers without a test subject to learn from, hmm?

Especially since we chose to specialize in blackholes instead of nanomachines...

 

[m4davis]

Lambchop we dont need nanomachines remember that one of the few things that can kill a immortal reliably is a black hole now we have that

 

[Smashing Axe]

It's not worth the potential fallout at this time, not until we've secured our position. Once we're in a more stable position, where the outcome of the election did not sit upon the edge of a knife, then we may go and capture immortals and put their heads in jars.

(Also I knew we should have pursued nanotech! Oh well)

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Here's where I also reveal the drone upgrade to the suit would have led to communications, networking and virtual computing breakthroughs. But no one was really asking about that.

Interesting, but just how many more breakthroughs can we have in those areas? Pre-nanoplague it seemed the world was already well beyond even Ghost in the Shell levels of virtual reality with AIs and the ability to alter timeflow in VR etc.

(Btw, if Senya was smart he'd hook himself up to a VR unit to do most of his research at 10,000 times the rate normal time flow would allow. He could probably read every book ever written and become a genius doctor/mechanic/Sun Tzu/hyper-buddah. Just say'n.)

edit: you're slow. even when you're falling.

 

[treave]

You guys just pay too much attention to the thread.

Well, if the theory that the current universe is virtual is correct, there would be a way to translate mastery of VR into the 'real' world. Besides that, you would be able to run ever more complex simulations in the VR worlds, possibly allowing for prescient predictions of what would happen in the future.

At any rate Senya already has no problems with technological research. The problem is translating ideas to reality. You can read up and brainstorm all you want, it won't do you any good if you don't have the parts to make your death machine with.

 

[Anabanana]

A.

Why kill her when we can potentially make use of her instead?

 

[Kipeci]

A.

Why kill her when we can potentially make use of her instead?

C doesn't leave her for dead, we just make use of her head.

 

[Anabanana]

True. I still wonder how Ean's story would have gone had we chosen to put Sekhe's head in a jar.

 

[Esquilax]

True. I still wonder how Ean's story would have gone had we chosen to put Sekhe's head in a jar.

We probably would have been convinced that she was lying to us about a lot of things and ended up fucking up that way. When we were in Tjaru, I doubt having Sek's head there would have helped; in fact, it might have made things worse because we probably would have believed that Nabu's attempts at contacting us were a ruse or an attempt to ambush us. Of course, we went with the earthquake there, but I could foresee a million ways we could have fucked up by having her head in a jar as well - it's easy to try and say how great it would have been with the benefit of hindsight.

The real problems with the Ean arc were always the detour to Egypt in Chapter 5 and of course jumping into the rift. Trusting Theseus was bad, but it was done out of idealism and overall the situation was still rather salvageable. Things only started getting really bad once Olympus was swallowed up.

Anyways, sorry I haven't been able to post as much, I've been really busy and I'm not quite caught up. I don't like sharing my thoughts on what we should do unless I've really read through things.

 

[Azira]

I find it interesting that Senya had so many research breakthroughs in the black hole technology after he was implanted with the Shulgi-pattern nanomachines.
The other immortals will quite possibly have access to the same kind of tech options.

What makes Senya unique is his ability to destroy by tracing the fault lines. We really need to pair him up with Rei, for her creation powers. Together they'd be nigh unstoppable.

 

[Zwist]

A or B are the only sane choices.
Even if we kill her, the only thing we accomplish is being taken "seriously" by a much more powerful adversary.

B.
I thought we wanted to stop being sockpuppets?

 

[treave]

A wins.

***

The Promise of Entertainment

I breathe in deeply. I need to stay calm here. Thoughts and words are weapons I can use, and though I may not have used them well all the time, these are my best options in the current predicament I find myself in.

"What would be your price for letting me know your name?"

"No price at all, my dear dancing monkey," laughs the woman. "Consider it a bonus. That way, you know who to curse when you ultimately fail."

"Well, you certainly seem confident that you already have me out-maneuvered."

"Why wouldn't I? I have had more than a century with which to practice my craft. You are woefully inexperienced in comparison." Ah, so she is more than a hundred years old...

"Experience is no indicator of skill," I shrug. "How do you know, for certain, that meeting you wasn't part of my plan?"

At that, her eyes twinkle with curiosity.

"Oh? Do tell. I am certain you did not expect me to appear."

"Not so soon, no... but I was planning to lure you out eventually using your subordinates' distress. I suppose I should drop the pretense now." The immortal laughs, but this time her manner is more guarded than before. I continue my bluff. "That was the whole motive for allowing the spies to get so close to me in the first place. I needed to get into contact with an immortal from the League. Not someone too high in the corridors of power, certainly not one of the Council, but an ambitious immortal, who would be looking for possible opportunities to advance her own goals..."

"And you think I'm this immortal you are looking for?"

"I know you are. You passed the test. Congratulations."

"Big words, coming from someone who has been dancing to my every whim without even knowing-"

"Someone who has allowed himself to dance to your every whim to attract your attention, my lady," I smile, though she would not be able to see it under my face-plate "Really, if you do think that way... might I ask what you think of the Council?"

"Noble, wise, self-sacrificing, acting only for the Greater Good." She rattles off their traits quickly, without any heart in it.

"You left out rigid." I point out. She grins, baring her teeth, before continuing. "Stodgy, yes. Musty. Conservative. Cowardly. Out of touch with events on the ground." My deduction was luckily correct - Spikey had taken some slight amount of pride in being a field agent, and seemed to have disdain for desk jockeys. This spymaster of theirs wouldn't be one to shy away from the field if she was willing to come down here to meet me. Their attitude was probably inherited from her handling, which was probably laced with condemnations of their slow-moving higher ups.

"Isn't it treason to criticize the Council?" I ask.

"Of course not. We're a democracy. Besides, they aren't listening in right now." she laughs.

"They really are quite dull, aren't they?" I say.

"Absolutely," she agrees. "Those old bastards are too afraid of the Devouring Emperor. Everything they do is centered around the Great Enemy."

I nod, pretending to agree. "Why not have some fun, then?"

"What are you suggesting?" She seems interested. Well, I'm used to dealing with women that selfishly follow their own whims. I think I can handle this.

"You think I am not a threat. Allow me to prove otherwise."

"Now I know you are mad," she frowns. "Why would you want to become a threat to us? That's suicide."

"Not if I'm a carefully managed threat... a threat that you can point towards your rivals." I say. "A threat you can use as an excuse to request for more resources and power... and a threat that can be wielded against the Empire."

"You think you can take on the Empire?" She holds back a loud laugh, staring at me. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, you'll just have to find out. Your Council certainly isn't faring as well as they should be despite focusing all of their resources against the Empire." I laugh. As far as the Empire is concerned, I would rather let them and the League bleed each other out. The status quo right now seemed perfectly fine, but once I gain more power I will be able to reap the benefits by tipping the balance.

"So," she muses, deep in thought, "You want to take over the Federation, gain control of its military, and create a power bloc that rivals the Council in its influence over the League?"

"Pretty much."

"That sounds impossible. Besides, you would be harming the war effort."

"I would only be harming it in the sense that the Council might lose this particular planet. Then again, the League does not really care for this planet now, do they? Not anymore, at least. In fact, whether I ultimately win or lose, I will shake up their existing world view. They have not faced an internal challenge in many, many years. They might even start to use their rusty brains."

She nods slowly. "You are correct... in a way. It looks like it will be worth keeping an eye on you."

"It will be fun keeping an eye on me," I reply, and she gives me a beaming smile.

"I hope so. First, you'll have to prove yourself. If you cannot defeat the current President, all of your words are just an empty boast."

"I'm assuming you won't be giving me help here?" I ask.

"Of course not. This is my test. I will not interfere, but neither can you expect any help." sneers the woman. "Anyway, let us get back to my name-" She begins to try drawing the conversation back to her egotistical self, but I interrupt her.

"Mere. Mere Tarliss, the most recent 'Sponsored' created by the Council." I finish. Just in time - Yua had just finished obtaining the information for me a few seconds back; her Sponsoring was a rather grand event that had occurred about one hundred and twenty five years ago, and the first in nearly five hundred years. There had been little problem obtaining the relevant information - it had been widely broadcast. Her mention of her century-long experience told me she was at least a hundred years old, but the immortals who were both involved in the military and were older than five hundred years old were all ranking generals or admirals. This ruled them out. Besides, her face matches that of the data I obtained. Of course, I tell her nothing of this, deciding to simply enjoy the look of surprise that froze itself over her face.

"I think that will be all. I accept the conditions of your test, Lady Mere, and you will be hearing from me after I turn the former Emperor of the Shinar into the Governor of Ankida. Have a pleasant night." I bow and take my leave, leaving her behind with a curious smile on her lips.

***

As the day of the election approaches, things continue to go as planned - our predicted margin has now increased to 7%. Twintails appears to have received orders from Mere to cooperate with me, fully convincing her of my loyalty to the Federation. Spikey and his friends, on the other hand, withdrew from Ankida - they were still skulking about outside the city, but they are not doing anything for now.

In the meantime, the remnants of the syndicate were laboriously reconstructing themselves under the guiding hand of the Red Octopus, who have developed the ideal of protecting the community from outsiders. They now have a monopoly on the entertainment trade and control most of the former gangsters in the Commercial Quarter. However, I have received news that the son of the Red Octopus's boss is beginning to start up the drug trafficking trade again. Though the father is willing to cooperate with me and rather fierce in his loyalty, the son is a bit more ambitious and eager to get out from under the shadow of his parent. Then, there's the problem of the son being the only heir to the Red Octopus - the gang places great importance on familial bonds, and the father does spoil his son a bit too much.

A. I inform the Red Octopus's boss of his son's misdemeanours.

B. I do not inform the Red Octopus's boss of his son's misdemeanours.

1. I do nothing about the son's actions. I predict that it won't be discovered until after the elections anyway - it is not a priority for me. Furthermore, I don't want to risk the stability of the Red Octopus by interfering.

2. I quietly take matters into my own hands. I will condone no trafficking within the city, and any transgressions must be made an example of even if they are ostensibly on my side. I will not force a father to act against his son.

***

Meanwhile, the Governor has acted quickly to stem his loss of support. His men are running from door to door, shop to shop, giving out money and food and promising more to come should he win the elections. I do not have the financial resources to counter such a short-term move, and it seems like some voters are already swayed. Luckily for the Governor, he has amended the law so that such blatant vote-buying is not illegal. Furthermore, there are rumours that the Governor plans to try and commit fraud on voting day itself, though so far I have not been able to extract concrete proof from my information network.

A. I attempt to denounce his actions in public, shaming those who would try to buy the people's principles for a few pieces of paper. Though I understand that following a path of principles will not keep one fed, the voters of Ankida aren't suffering to such an extent that they absolutely need the Governor's handouts to survive.

B. I have the Red Octopus ambush the Governor's vote-buyers in the alleys. By barring them from the territories I control, I should be able to reduce the damage he is attempting to inflict on my voter-base. Sometimes you just have to resort to violence.

C. Twintails and I go after the Governor directly, just like what he and the Federation did to Frommen. This election is becoming a farce anyway. If we manage to assassinate him, Iannes wins uncontested. We would have to arrange for a non-violent death, though - if it is too blatant, we will lose the support of the people and all our work thus far would have been for naught.

D. I do nothing. Let the people take the hand-outs if they so wish - I believe that the margin is secure enough that Iannes will be victorious even if rampant cheating does occur. The Order of Pithos will continue working on consolidating our support by helping to teach the people whatever they can.

 

[Jester]

2 in first choice is killing or what?

 

[treave]

He'll disappear.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Could there be an option to have a word with the son personally, and try and outright cow his actions?

 

[treave]

Getting involved personally will end up with the son disappearing. I'm revealing the inevitable result of option 2.

If you want him to merely be 'cowed', I suggest combination A1, where you inform the father about the son's actions. He knows where you stand on this matter, he knows this incurs your displeasure, and I believe I've given enough hints to suggest he won't murder his son over this. It will be harsh words and perhaps a beating or two to try and put him back into line. Whether that will be effective or not I will not say, but as far as the drug trafficking issue is concerned, it would still certainly be more effective than mere harsh words and attempted intimidation from you, an outsider in the gang.

 

[Rex Feral]

A1
A

 

[Azira]

Well then, time to try and flex Senya's oratory muscles even more.

A1
A

 

[Kipeci]

A1A

 

[Stygian Lurker]

A1
A